In a remote neighborhood of a space city, near Earth.
In one of the basements of the houses, a painful silence persisted.
Evander awkwardly stared at Sarah's hologram.
After he got out of the ruins and barely healed himself, the first thing he did was to reach a secret place safe from tracking.
Then, he immediately contacted Sarah.
But Sarah didn't answer him. Instead, she looked at him with a cold gaze that crushed his heart.
The silence persisted for the tenth minute until Evander hunched his shoulders and said. "Sarah, I-I…can explain."
After he snapped out of Kreo's mind control, he regained the memories of Sia as well as what he did in the prince's hall.
All of this started because he betrayed Sia and gave them to the Xanders. He should've protected her once he knew that they wanted to capture her for some reason.
Instead, he let his emotions get the better of him. After his memory cleared up, he also realized something else.
His disciple, Varian grew up with Sia. So, the pain caused by his actions would also end up burning his disciple's heart.
Perhaps his disciple was already hating him enough to kill him. Evander felt that what he did deserved all the hate and punishment.
But even so, there was one thing he wished to not happen.
He didn't want to lose his daughter.
That's why…
"P-Please…let me explain. I…I never intended to harm her. My emotions…" Evander stuttered as he gazed at Sarah.
Sarah gave him a deep look.
Evander felt anxiety welling in his heart. He wouldn't be surprised if Sarah didn't listen to him all or cursed him.
But…
"Go ahead. I'm listening." Sarah closed her eyes and said in a painful voice.
Like always, Sarah was willing to listen. It wasn't just him, even when misunderstandings could arise with Varian, she was willing to listen.
Because she cherished the relationships she had and believed they a misunderstanding shouldn't harm them.
So, despite how uncomfortable she felt, she was willing to listen.
"I…after their death, I trained with revenge in my mind. The hatred I had towards the abyssals and also, monsters just grew. Killing them was something I enjoyed.
Because some part of me felt that no matter the abyssal, killing them was the same as avenging Slyvia and Sam. The hatred got to my head. And Kreo…he exploited that hatred and took control of me." Evander felt like a criminal as he explained himself.
"…" Sarah didn't respond. Her blue eyes stared at him with an intense and cold gaze.
"It's my fault. If I was in my proper mind, if I even had my guards up, none of this would've happened. I…It was a terrible mistake. Even now, I almost killed them with my own hands." Evander looked at his hands with a powerless gaze.
Then, he met Sarah's gaze. "I…I just wanted to tell you that I never intented anything ill for either of them."
"…." Sarah's chest heaved up and down but her blue eyes showed no trace of emotion.
She looked at him like he was a stranger.
"I am resigning from my post, I won't be able to meet you often…Stay safe, daughter." Evander turned around and sniffed back his tears.
Without another word, the call ended.
On the other side, Sarah collapsed onto her knees.
"W-Why…" Her quiet sobs echoed in the empty room.
*** *** ***
Near asteroids, unknown coordinates.
A black sword rested on the tip of a finger. It gave off a bloodthirsty aura that would scare away even the bravest fighters.
Demon Sword.
The missing artifact of Neptune's Sovereign. That which the federation desperately searched for.
It rested in the hands of a Sovereign no one expected.
"…Posessing two artifacts made this powerful, but I need more power." The one holding the sword, a man shrouded in the black aura released by the demon sword, said.
A silver slate floated in front of him flashing the deva letters. Compared to the message gathered by Enigma, this one was a bit different.
[Due to your innate talent, you are chosen by Heaven's Will as devas' successor! Gather the six artifacts, and prove yourself! Inherit their legacy and reach the celestial rank!]
This silver slate appeared in front of him in a ruins.
Varian and Sia completely missed this possibility since they considered the information could only be obtained from the towers.
But the Sovereign never climbed any of the towers yet got the silver slate.
He didn't believe it at first. But after verifying that it had the same aura as his own artifact, he was convinced.
So, he took the opportunity in the Pluto War and snatched the artifact.
The abyssals gladly let him since he was 'cooperating' with them and was a race 'traitor'.
But they didn't know, he was hatching his own plan.
He didn't know if that abyssal emperor would come to the solar system one day, but if he did, he and everyone else would be powerless.
The only way to save himself and others was to gather all the artifacts.
Of course, he could say this out to other Sovereigns.
…But he was damn sure they wouldn't let him be the owner of the six artifacts.
That's why, he took into his own hands.
If the plan went properly, Irene Nial should've died a while ago and he should've gotten her artifact—Crystal Armor.
From his experience, each artifact gave him a big boost in strength.
"Though I'm glad Irene didn't die." The Sovereign muttered.
If she died, then the balance of power would've tipped. The abyssals would be able to conquer Uranus and from there, it'd be a download spiral.
He didn't want to see that.
On the other hand, if humans grew too powerful and suppress abyssals, then he wouldn't have any opportunity to snatch the artifacts.
What he wanted was to maintain a balance of power while he gathered the artifacts one by one.
When the time came, he'd reveal his true power, massacre the abyssals and lead the federation to new heights.
It was a glorious future for all of humanity.
So, he didn't mind the skewered path…even if it meant killing his fellow sovereigns.
For what it was worth, it was a small price to pay.
*** *** ***
Once the Trian month ended, the residents of earth, some crazy news flooded the media.
For the high awakeners and the elite, the heading of the newspaper was enough.
<< High General Evander missing?! >>
Just a few sections later was another breaking news.
<< Low General Anna resigns! >>
A few more sections later was one more.
<< Richard, General Evander's butler, resigned from the military after falling out with his best friend, Eve Xander, the grandfather of Charles Xander. >>
The common people too were shocked by Evander's disappearance.
Before they could take it in, another breaking news arrived.
<< Charles Xander is dead. Killed by Dreamer—whose real identity is Varian, a 18 year old ex-cadet. >>
…
…
…
A/N: End of Arc.
